Final Kingdom
by Orlando-Gurl-2004
Summary: The daughter of Virgina and Wolfe ends up in Spira, but that's not the worst part. Her brother is being controlled by the new enemy, a witch from Wolfe's own world. Will Kaori be able to get her family back? Without knowing they are her family?
1. Chapter 1

_**Final Kingdom**_

_**Prologue: Mirror Malfunction.**_

"Virginia, have you seen Kaori?" Wolf asked his wife.

"I don't know, I thought that she was with you." Virginia told him, looking up from her work.

"Well, I don't know where she is, and I haven't seen her." Wolf said, starting to panic. "Do you think she's in the clubhouse? Or do you think she's at a friend's house? Like Jordan's?" He said, starting run towards the playhouse he built her.

"Wolf, she's not out there, I checked already. And I don't think she's at Jordan's. She could be at George's house, but I don't know for sure." Virginia said, looking up from the ironing, about to go do the dishes. "Wolf, calm down, there's nothing to worry about, she's probably playing around the neighborhood, or maybe she went to the park, with Mrs. Roberson. She's probably just being herself."

A couple of hours later, she could tell that Wolf hadn't found her, because he had just come home, and she wasn't with him.

"Have you heard anything? Maybe…you stay here while I go and ask my grandma if she knows anything about her." Virginia said, while going for the mirror. When she got to where she had hidden it, because her daughter didn't know anything about that world, she found the mirror was…gone! 

"WOLF!" She screamed, getting upset, "WHERE DID YOU PUT THE MIRROR?" she asked, starting another fight, though not a very bad one.

"VIRGINIA!" Wolf said, bursting into the room, "I went to go see if she left a letter in her room, and I found the mirror…on." He said, knowing that she wouldn't like it very much.

"WHAT! WHEN DID SHE FIND IT! Can you tell by anything left?" Virginia asked him, starting towards her daughter's room. "Do you think she went through?"

"I don't know, but she might've, and if she did…" He let the sentence hang, knowing that if he had said it, she wouldn't only be upset, but she would also be mad at him.

"Pack a couple necessities…NOW! We have to leave soon." Virginia told him, more forcingly than she meant to. _'Maybe it will teach him a lesson'_ She thought, knowing that it would make him better with things around the house, if he was told to.

"Virginia, I know you're worried, I am too, but calm down. We need to think about what Kaori would need, once we find her. So we still have to pack for three." Wolf told her, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Alright, but when I'm done packing, if you're not ready yet, then I'm starting without you, and you can catch up." Virginia told him, looking furious, which did not happen much, and when it did, it scared even Wolf.

"You go, I'll finish packing. It shouldn't take me too long to finish packing, and when I do, then I'll go through, though I'll probably put the mirror in the closet, then go through, so if anyone comes, then there will be less of a chance of them finding it and going through." Wolf explained, though he noticed that Virginia wasn't paying any attention to him. Her full attention was on the mirror.

"Wolf, I'm going…now." She said, and Wolf guessed that she hadn't heard him.

"I know…just be careful, you know how it is there. It might be better than last time, but it also might be worse." He reminded her, scratching right where his temple and hair met.

After Virginia had left, Wolf finished packing as fast as he could, not wanting to much more than time and worlds, not to mention distance, to come between them.

He soon had enough food for about three weeks for Virginia and Kaori. Then, getting some food for him, and packing it carefully, since he doubted that when they got back, Virginia definitely wouldn't want to mess with bloody packs.

After the food, he was ready to go, so he moved the mirror to the master closet (as Virginia called it, he called it a small room…usually) got his pack, and closed the door behind him.

As he looked at the mirror a moment, he though he saw something different about the fourth kingdom, but in the mirror, it was hard to tell.

He took one last smell of this world, and jumped through the mirror.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. All the while getting the images of the mirror in its frame getting faster and faster.

He never let it show, but sometimes toward the end, he started feeling sick, the mirror had strange effects on him.

When at last, his trip through the mirrors ended, he found…not the fourth kingdom…but some strange land, with strange smells.

He did not know this place.

What do you think? I'm still new at stories, especially this one, but I'm trying, if you find any faults, please let me know.

REVIEWS!


	2. Chapter 2: The Queen

_**Final Kingdom:**_

_**Chapter 2: The Queen**_

The Queen enjoyed her work. She got to have many fun memories because of it. She had brought back Sin, causing much distress to the people of Spira, she had raised many people from the dead, making many people perplexed.

When she had trouble, she just called her servants, and if they did not want to do her bidding, like feeding Sin, she would threaten with their lives.

After some time, she got to realize that to get them to do something, she just had to give them a little extra, and not threaten them, for that is the reason they were so reluctant.

She had many servants, but only some were worth her while, and the others, that she did not want to keep, were just to spend many hours doing her evil, stupid, and sometimes, though rarely, silly, bidding.

'When at last, my plan is complete, then I shall rule Spira, and I will not stop there, I shall also rule the United States, and the nine kingdoms. But it also will not stop there; I shall soon rule all worlds.'

In the morning when Kaori woke up, she found that most everyone was already awake and away from the tent. The only person left, was Lulu and Wakka's baby.

When she got cleaned up, for there was some water in a dish and a rag, and got dressed, then she went outside, and though she did not see anyone, she started walking around.

While she was walking, she suddenly remembered the face from her dream. Who was it? Why did she see someone in her dreams she did not know? Many questions ran through her mind.

In her walking, she found that at some point in time, she had wandered to the temple, and was sitting by the door. When she actually realized this, she went in, and started asking the priests there, how she could become a Summoner.

What she did not expect, they would not talk to her about it, but she then asked, if the knew where Yuna was, and they looked startled that she knew her.

"Lady Yuna is going away on her pilgrimage. She was also taking a young girl, that looked quite like you, with her." One of the priests replied.

"But she was supposed to take me. Something must have happened. Where will she be going?" Kaori asked, mostly in frustration.

"She will not be returning for sometime, if she does, and as to where she went, she will probably be going to the Calm Lands." The other priest answered.

"Where are the Calm Lands? I must get there soon, she is my way home. She was going to help me found out how to get home. I came here by accident." Kaori quickly told them, trying to make it clear that she had to get there.

With the puzzled looks that the priests gave her, she thought that she too had gone mad. Then, one of them softened, gave her some coins, and told her the way to get a chocobo, and a map, and told her that would be her only way once she got to the mainland, but before then, she had to go by boat. He even offered to help her find which boat would be leaving the soonest, and which would be going to the place best for her.

When they went through all the ship owners, they found that hers was leaving to Luca.

"You must take the boat to Luca, and then you must take the road, and that will lead you to the **_Mi'ihen highroad, then you must follow the road there, that will take you to Mushroom Rock Road. Then you must take the lift at the end of the road, and that will take you to Djose, then you must go to the Moonflow, taking the Shoopuff, then you will need to go to Guadosalam, then you must go through the Thunder Plains, and then you must go to Macalania, then you will see a path up in the trees that shimmer, follow that, and it will lead you to the Calm Lands. But you will never make it child, you must have some training, there are too many fiends, you are sure to get slaughtered." The first priest said, looking at her, and making sure that she understood the gravity of the situation._**

"_**I know how to fight, but only Karate style. Other than that, I'm pretty hopeless." Kaori told him, started to blush.**_

"_**Well, we must teach you about sword fighting." The priest told her, walking to his hut.**_

_**When they got to his hut, he went into the back room, and came out carrying a long package, that looked like it might be for a fishing pole.**_

_**When he started to reach in, and pull something out, she saw that is was what looked like a very nice sword, she only wished that she had one in New York, so she did know a little about swords, but not much.**_

"_**You will train with me for two days, with this, and we will go all day, and the third day, the day your boat leaves, you shall be ready, and go with it." He told her, handing the sword to her.**_

"_**You will learn how to cast some easy, but needed spells, and you will learn how to use the magic in the sword, how to sword fight, and many more things that you will use much." **_

"_**That's too much to learn in two days! I'll never get through it! I'll probably die from overexerting myself!" Kaori exclaimed, thinking it would be impossible.**_

"_**No, I will not let that happen, and besides, we have spells to help with that. Makes less dead people to worry about." The priest told her with a bit of a smile. "By the way, I don't believe I have told you my name yet. But I am Vahe Yoshi. My father was Neron Yoshi. I hope that one day, I can be of more service than these small tasks." Vahe said, still smiling a bit.**_

"_**I will appreciate your help. It will be an honor to work with someone as pleasant as yourself." Kaori replied, trying to be very polite, and respectful, and adult like.**_

"_**The honor is all mine." Vahe replied, looking very pleasant.**_

__

_**The next day, during her training, she went through many bruises, and if it hadn't been for the skill of Vahe, she would have been dead by now.**_

_**By midday, she could not keep up even with a snail, so seeing this, Vahe decided to stop for a rest, and have the mid meal.**_

"_**We shall stop for a time, and you may catch your breath, and eat. I shall go to the temple, and fulfill my duty, and when I return, we shall continue." Vahe told her, barely breathing hard.**_

"_**Please…take your time." Kaori muttered, for she was well out of breath.**_

_**When at last Kaori started breathing normally, she had finished lunch, and had started on cleaning her sword, for it had gotten muddy, and dusty.**_

_**She had just barely finished, and was about to put the sword in the tent, when she saw that Vahe was returning. She groaned a bit, before he could hear her, and then stiffly got up on her feet.**_

"_**You act like you're one hundred years, and yet you are barely in you tenth." Vahe said, looking like he was trying hard not to laugh.**_

"_**I feel like it, never before have I worked so hard, and never before, have I been beaten so badly." Kaori told him, with a wry smile of her own.**_

"_**We shall see." Was all that Vahe said.**_

_**He picked up his sword, and took his position, which was her cue to do the same. She had already learned what positions she should take to his positions. That had taken most of the morning. Now they were working on her balance, and the hold of her sword.**_

_**When she mastered something to Vahe's satisfaction, they would move on to the next thing that he was to teach her.**_

_**That day, she mastered nearly everything that he had set aside, so he was quite happy with the days efforts, and the more part of the next day, would be learning the magic skills that he would teach her, and shopping for everything that she would need.**_

_**Surprising to Kaori, he did not expect reimbursement, and this puzzled her, when she questioned him about it, he just replied that he did not have any family of his own, but had always wanted a daughter, and so she in a way, was taking the place of the daughter he never had.**_

__

_**When Kaori and Vahe were both very happy with the way she had mastered something, for if she was not comfortable with it, she would not move on, but he would go with her a little further, then they would do what was next.**_

_**Kaori learned how to heal herself, how to cast shell, and protect, or reflect, and how to use some of the swords powers, which included, Blizzaga, Firaga, Waterga, and Thundaga. It would also cast stone, and petrify, along with poison. It could also cast Death, and Doom, and some other ones, but Vahe would not tell her what, but said, if she was to learn them, she would have to figure it out, that was the way this was done. She learned all these things, and then learned them, without the sword, so if she ever got it taken away during a battle, then she could still defend herself.**_

_**After all this, they went shopping in the village for the items that she would need, that would also allow herself to heal, and to get rid of poison. She also got a staff, and it looked somewhat like Yuna's.**_

_**When all this was done, it was time to head back to the tent, and prepare everything for the next day, though she would be helping a little at the temple, and Vahe promised her, that if she wanted, and if she returned, then she could become a Summoner, if she still wanted, and was learned enough in their ways.**_

_**When she went to bed that night, she again dreamed of the strange girl, as she had for the last two nights, though she could not tell anything different about her. She figured she would ask Yuna if she knew who it was.**_

__

_**When she woke up, she found that her breakfast was already there, and her bags were set out, and taken care of, and along with that, a note was left from Vahe for her.**_

_**When she finished cleaning and eating, she got dressed, left her bags, and went to see Vahe, as she had promised.**_

_**When she found him, he was helping to clean the temple, and so she asked what she could do, and he handed her his rag, and went to get another, then explained what must be done.**_

_**When they had finished with this task, which took a good part of the morning, they had to leave, for Vahe was going to help her one last time, by taking her to the boat.**_

_**She went and got her bags, and they left the village. On the way to the boat, Vahe stopped on top of one of the hills, and looked at a statue, and started praying. When she asked what he was doing, he said he was praying for good fortune for her journey, that all would go well, and that she would remember what he had taught her. When he said that she too, should pray, she looked at him confused.**_

_**He explained to her their tradition, and she joined.**_

_**When they finished there, they kept on their way to the docks, and when they reached it, saw that it was just about to leave.**_

"_**Thank you Vahe, for everything. I would never make it without a friend, and you have been the friend that I have needed." Kaori said, turning to him, looking up at him, and smiling.**_

"_**It has been my pleasure. Besides, I have needed a friend as well." Vahe told her, smiling as well.**_

_**They stood there for a few minutes, then, when the captain told her it was time to go, she stood there another moment, quickly hugged Vahe, and ran onto the boat.**_

_**All the way out of the harbor, she was waving to him, until she could see him no more, then she looked towards where they were going, with a grim expression on her face, and decided that she would make it to the calm lands, whatever she had to do.**_

__

_**When they landed, Kaori got off, looked around, thinking that she would ask where she would get everything else she needed, and was already lost.**_

_**When she finally found where to get the 'Chok-ca-bo's, she bought one, since she thought she would not be coming back this way.**_

_**With her map, she figured out where she was to go, had someone help her on the chocobo, and left. When she got to Mi'ihen Highroad, she followed it, until she was told by someone beside a patio, for that is what she thought it was, and was that Mushroom Rock Road was 'that way'.**_


	3. Chapter 3: The Beginning Of A Journey

**Final Kingdom**

Chapter 3: The Beginning Of A Journey 

While she was riding along, Kaori was constantly looking at the map, trying to make sure that she was going the right way.

Several times she found that she had taken a wrong turn, and had to turn back, and when she would rest, and get off the chocobo, eat, and let the chocobo eat, then she would always have trouble getting back on, so she would walk until she found a tall rock, or tree stump, so she could climb up onto it, and then onto the chocobo.

Several times, there were many people who helped her, she guessed that they knew that she was not from Spira.

After many days of travel, she started getting to more things that looked like they weren't from someone's imagination, but actual places.

After a while, she started thinking that instead of another world, she was just in another part of her own world, like some very distant country that she had never heard of.

She was also starting to get very confused. Every night she had that same dream of the unknown girl. Only every night, she got bigger and bigger, like something very important was about to happen to her.

That night, she found that so far, she had made it to the Moonflow, and that night, she would take the last shoopuff for the evening, and stop for the night at the inn on the other side, for she was told that there was an inn there, and the prices weren't too high.

Starting the next day, she would go to Guadosalam, and after that, the Thunder Plains. Once she heard that name again, she wondered why they were called the Thunder Plains, and not something a bit more realistic. Like thunder would only hit in one spot.

That night, once she was checked into the inn, and it surprised her that she could check into one, without I.D. or anything like that, she ate a meal that she did not have to fix, so it was not burnt, or horrible, but quite good, and then she went to bed, for it seemed, that even if you didn't want to get woken up, they woke you up at dawn.

Again that night, she had the dream of the girl, only this time, she looked slightly like her mother, and there was a man there, yet again, looking like her mother. Standing behind the girl and the man, she saw a woman. She did not understand why she was seeing all these things in her dreams, her parents told her that it was her imagination, but she didn't think that it was this time.

After waking up in the morning, she ate another meal, fed her chocobo, and left, still wanting to catch up with Yuna.

Through the next couple of days, she got very tired, along with her chocobo, got through Guadosalam, and was told by a passerby, that she was very close to the Thunder Plains.

When darkness fell, she found that a storm was coming on, there was a lot of thunder and lightning, and when she went to bed, it still hadn't arrived, but she was sure that the next day would be wet.

She dreamed about the three people again, only this time, there was a palace, and a dog, along with someone with a crown. She could not figure out who all these people were, but it seemed that every night, things got more pronounced, and she could see everything much better, or something else as well.

When she woke up, she was surprised that it had not rained that night, and that it wasn't raining at that time.

About half way through the day, she saw a tall building in the distance, and thought that she had made it home to New York, but when she got closer, there were no more buildings, and it didn't even look like a real building, just a kind of tower thing.

When she passed yet another person, she asked them where she was, and was told, the Thunder Plains. When she asked how to get to Macalania, she was told that she had to go through the Thunder Plains, but her best bet would be to go the travel agency, and talk to Rin there.

When she got directions on how to get there, she went, yet a bit reluctantly, and after a lot of searching, or so it seemed, she found it.

When she went inside, she saw some really weird looking people, they were all only dressed halfway, and they had dark skin, and weird hairstyles, not to mention weird clothes.

When she got there, she rested a bit, and then asked the person behind the desk, how to get to Macalania. When they told her which way to go, then she hurried and thanked them, and then left, not wanting to go back outside, yet wanting to find Yuna more than that.

When she got into some kind of woods, she figured that she had made it to Macalania, for she had been told that when she came to the woods, it was Macalania, and that the Thunder Plains didn't have any woods.

When she got inside a bit more, she started thinking that it was Central Park, with just taller trees than she had ever seen there.

She traveled on the main path for a while, and then found the shimmering path that Vahe had been talking about, and started looking at it.

'_There is no way that that is a path, and there is no way that I will be traveling up that, or that it can even hold anything other than feather light things, or air.'_

When she stood there for quite some time, she thought she was seeing things, for someone was actually walking on it, and coming down.

So far, she had fought many animals, but not a choice of her own, a lot of them, she thought were cute, but then most of the time, someone saw her, and came running, most of the time, because she was holding out her hand to pet it, and next she found out, that the animals only had one interest in her, and that was to kill her.

Now, when she saw someone on that path, she figured when he came off it, then she would start up it.

When the time came, she looked at it a bit more, then started up, not looking down, and not getting off her chocobo.

Starting up it, she came to a really weird animal, that floated and looked like a fish, only there wasn't any water near this one place.

When she started thinking back to the later version of Vahes instructions, she figured she had to fight these too.

When she got out her sword, she started thinking of one of her video games, like Prince of Persia, or of her dad and her playing out in the back yard.

When she got into the battle, she figured since these were fish, and they were supposed to be in water, then they would be water 'fiends' and so she thought for a moment, and figured out she should use Thundaga on it, from the sword like Vahe taught her to do.

After two hit for each of the fish, there were three, then she killed all of them, and continued on her way, after cleaning the sword a bit.

After some time of walking on this path, she thought that the sun was starting to set, and that it was nearly time to find a place to sleep.

After a bit more traveling, she saw the end of the path, and started running, for she had not been able to get back on the chocobo after the battle, and had been in many more since then, so she was very tired.

When she got off the path, she just found a place that looked like there weren't too many rocks, and too many fiends around, and set up camp there.

When someone passed her, and saw her, they stopped for a time, and just looked at her, then asked why she was sleeping here instead of the agency/inn. When she replied that she did not know that there was one, but she wanted to rest, he decided that he would join her for a time.

"My name is Sebastian. I am a musician. I'm trying to get to Zanarkand. Where are you trying to get to?" Sebastian asked her, cocking his head just the slightest bit.

"I'm trying to get to the Calm Lands. I've come from Besaid. Do you know about how much more I have to go?" Kaori asked him, hoping it wasn't far, she did not know how long it would take Yuna to get there, but she hoped that she was still there.

"You will get there late tomorrow, walking, but on a chocobo, you should get there midmorning. If you get up at a reasonable time." Sebastian told her, with a questioning look on her face.

Nearly everyone in these parts knew how long it would take, especially if they were traveling it.

"Well, I have been getting up at dawn, but I don't like mornings, so I'll probably sleep in as long as possible." Kaori told him, trusting him already, even though she hardly knew him.

"Well, if sleeping is what you want, you don't want to be out here, the fiends will find that you are here, and it won't take them long to get here. Come. I will take you to the inn." Sebastian told her, standing up.

Since she hadn't really unpacked anything, it didn't take long to get going.

When they had at last gotten to the inn, Kaori checked her money, and found that she could stay and then have a few more coins, if their rates were the same as the other place.

When Sebastian saw that she did not have much money left, he decided that he would pay for both of them, since she was but a child.

Not knowing that he was going to stay, she decided that she would sleep in her little spot from earlier, for she had found out that the rates here were too high for her to afford.

When she had nearly gotten to the door, Sebastian turned around, asked her where she was going, with a smile, and told her that he had paid for her to stay, she looked at him with a question in her eyes, then just shrugged her shoulders, and walked back over to him, got her key and room number, and walked to it.

After a while, she had prepared for bed, and went out to take care of her chocobo, and found that someone was already taking care of it.

When she saw this, she asked the guy what he was doing, and he said that he had been paid by her friend to take care of it.

When she heard this, she again shrugged her shoulders, and walked back inside, and went to bed.

This time, when she fell asleep, she dreamed again of all the people from the last dream, only this time, she could also see some really pretty lady with black hair, dressed like she was really important.

When she woke up, she found that it was not yet light outside, yet she could not figure out what had woken her. When she found that it was because of a noise in her room, for she heard it again, she looked around, and tried to figure out what was going on.

When she saw someone in her room, she used one of the harder spells that Vahe had taught her, petrify, and once the spell had taken effect, got out of bed, getting her sword on the way, and went over to see who it was. To see she had to light a candle, but once that was done, she could see that it was the man from the front desk, and wondered why he was going through her things, but saw that in his hands, he had her token, that she was supposed to show Yuna, or anyone really, to let her know that she was ok, and was really who she said she was.

When she saw this, she decided that she would have to go, packed her things, dressed, and went to Sebastian's room with a note, and told him of her hasty departure, and why she had to leave, she thanked him, and then walked downstairs, where she went to the kitchen, and got some bread and something that she did not recognize, but packed those in a small bag, and went to get her chocobo.

When she found which chocobo was hers, she put on the bridle and her special saddle, since she could hardly ride as it was, and found a high place to get up on him.

When she was on, she made sure that her bags were secure, and then looked at her map, to figure out which way to go.

When she found it, she left as fast as she could get the chocobo to go, and with half a mind, guided him, while making sure they were going the right way.

Since it was still the middle of the night, she was very tired, as was her chocobo, so once she figured it would be ok to slow down, they started going at a walk.

When the sun started to rise, she thought she saw something, but wasn't sure, so she kept going at the same speed.

After sometime, she saw a valley, and a gorge, and then she saw a tent in the middle. When she looked at her map, she saw that she had finally made it to the Calm Lands.

By now it was bright enough to see behind her, so she looked, and saw what feared.

Behind her there was the man from last night, in her room, and there was the man that took care of her chocobo, and there were others, which were standing around in the front room of the inn.

When she could, she got her chocobo to go as fast as he could, which didn't seem very fast, but it seemed fast enough to stay about the same distance from them, except they were very slowly gaining, she saw the next time she looked back.

When she got toward the middle, which was also the tent, and she saw people, she started yelling for help, not sure if this was good or not.

When the people behind her caught up to her, they surrounded her, so that she could not run. Though she had already gotten the attention of someone, she could not tell whom, they did not come.

"Well, little one, you have been a very big pain. I should have finished you off last night, but I thought I would just get your medallion, so you could not join with anyone. When I had been gone for some time longer than I had planned, my partner came to get me, and found me petrified, and used the counter curse on me. When I found that you had left, I rounded up everyone I needed, and quickly came after you. And now you can see, you shall not survive." The leader told her, looking quite smug.

"We'll see. You may kill me, but not without a good fight. And later, when my friends find out, you will regret it." Kaori told him, already in her fighting stance with her sword.

"So…you are going to put up a fight? Very noble, but foolish." Said the man from the stable the night before.

When they attacked her, it was probably around twenty men total there, come after her, about half of all of them, attacked her at once.

After, by some miracle, she had taken down four men, she heard someone behind her yelling. Though she did not dare look, she thought that she recognized the voice, and that it was Yuna.

She kept fighting, and took down another five, but then she saw something above her, and realized it was an aeon, Bahamut actually.

When Bahamut landed, he just kind of looked at her, then got into a stance, and looked at her. She was still fighting, but then she realized what he was waiting for.

"Attack them Bahamut! Help me!" Kaori yelled, still fighting.

After a few more moments, she was fighting the last person, and once he was dead, it would be over, but she was out of energy, and could not defeat him. When she was about to give him over to Bahamut, she saw the slash of a sword, and he was down.

When she actually looked, she saw Yuna, then, because of injuries, she fell unconscious.

The last thing she remembered was the little girl from her dreams running toward her in blackness, and then everything went dark.


	4. Chapter 4

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 4: Rejoined.**

"We do not know what it is that has happened, but it seems that she has come a long way." Kaori heard someone say, though she did not know whom.

"Yes, and she fought exceedingly well, even though it seems she is from some far off place." Yuna said, though she sounded different.

After some time, she finally was able to sit up, and realize where she was. She was in the tent in the middle of the valley.

When they realized that she was awake, Yuna came over, and started questioning her.

"Who are you? Why were those people chasing you? Where did you come from? What are you doing here? Why are you alone? For what purpose did you come? Who-" Yuna asked, being cut off by Kaori herself.

"Now you're starting to sound like me. You know who I am, I am Kaori. They were chasing me, because, I don't know. I came from New York City, but more recently, I came from Besaid. I am here looking for you. I am alone, because that is how I was left. I am here to ask why you left me, and how I can get home." Kaori said, answering all of her questions, just like they did opposite when she herself first got to Spira.

"I do not know you." Yuna said, looking confusedly at her.

"Yes, you do, a impostor took my place in the journey, and so I had to get help to find you, so I could make it right, so Vahe helped me." Kaori explained.

"I am not sure whether to believe you or not, but right now, I choose not to, just because it seems that the person that has come with us this far, is truly Kaori from New York. But then, if she was, then how do you know about that place?" Yuna asked, looking even more confused that she was a moment ago.

"I would know about it, because I'm trying to get back to it. Ask Auron, he will know." Kaori said, looking at her confidently.

"Alright then, I will get him." Yuna said, knowing that somehow she was supposed to be with them.

As she was walking outside looking for Auron, Kaori had the doctor, that was who she guessed it was, leave so she could get dressed, and get something that would undoubtedly prove her story.

After she had changed, she got something out of her bag, and put in on the bed beside her, and sat back down.

After a few more moments, Yuna returned with Auron, and surprisingly, Auron had someone with him.

"The impostor." Auron said, in his usual slow low voice.

"Yes, it must be, she does resemble me, doesn't she?" Kaori said, looking closely at the girl.

"I still do not know which one is the true one." Yuna said, looking between both.

"Since you still doubt, tell me what this is." Kaori said, holding up the package, which was still wrapped.

"I recognize it already." Auron said, looking at what she was pointing to.

"Yes, I believe I do too, but I cannot be sure." Yuna said, walking slowly towards Kaori, and reaching out to take the package.

As she slowly unwrapped it, slowly, you could see a hilt, and then a blade. Finally she pulled all of it out, and realized, that it was one of Aurons old swords, that he had given to one of the priests of Besaid.

"But this was a gift to Vahe." Yuna said, trying still to believe both sides of the story.

"But he gave it as a gift to me, so that I would have a somewhat safe journey, and he taught me how to use it as well." Kaori said. "But I was also hoping, that when I got with you again, then I could get lessons from Sir Auron. So that if something like what happened today happened again, then I could defend myself better."

"It has been four days. If you did not wake up soon, we would have been forced to leave you, the only reason we stayed even this long, was Auron made us." Yuna said, looking at her solemnly.

"I will be forever grateful for that, if you had not, then I would have kept following you. I will do what I must, so that I may get back to my family. My mother was supposed to have my baby brother soon, and I wanted to be there, so that I could help out around the house, and show that I didn't just play around." Kaori said, tears starting to come to her eyes.

After several more hours, she finally convinced all of them, that she was indeed the real Kaori. Since it was starting to get dark out, then they decided that they would find something to do with the impostor, and stay the night, leaving the next day.

In the morning, when everyone was awake, they were all surprised to see that Kaori was already awake, and that she was out fighting fiends, so that she would not have to wake anyone, but she could still practice.

When Auron realized that she had not yet noticed him, he decided that he would now see if she was worth teaching. It would take a lot from her, and it would take a lot of his time, but if she was able to learn, to his extent, then he was willing to teach her.

After she had killed some fiend that she was fighting, then he went out to join her, and told her that they would be fighting each other, to disarm.

After some time of this, some of the others started to watch, and see some of her fighting skills. Whenever Auron and Kaori were done, Lulu came over and asked her if she knew any Black Magic.

"Only a little, and that's just mostly what I know from using the sword." Kaori told her, looking a bit discouraged.

"Well then, we must fix that." Lulu told her, starting to smile.

For quite some hours, they worked at the magic, and then finally Lulu said that it was time to stop. They must start on their journey again.

All that day, when they came to a battle, Kaori tried her magic, like Lulu had told her to use, and when she fought with her sword, she used it like in their sparring this morning.

When finally they stopped to rest, Kaori just sat down, ready to eat, and go to bed. But everyone had other ideas.

"You shall train with me. It is good that you know how to fight, and use black magic, but you must learn white magic as well." Yuna told her that night, before Kaori laid down to sleep.

"Can we do that tomorrow, or some other time? I'm so tired, and I'm really just wanting to sleep." Kaori told her, in a bit of a whining voice.

"No, tomorrow, you shall train with Auron, like today, along with Lulu, and then tomorrow night, you shall train with me. Just like tonight. When you get used to this schedule then we shall have Rikku teach you how to steal, such as items, and some of her other…abilities. After some more time, Tidus will teach you his abilities, and then Wakka. We do not yet know if Kimahri is willing to teach you his, but if he is, it will be in his own time, so if he says come, then don't question, or complain." Yuna said, looking at her toughly with determination.

"I suppose I must then. What will we learn tonight?" Kaori asked her, standing up slowly, for she felt very stiff.

"Do you know how to heal? To cast silence? Or how to use Esuna? These are actually essential, and it will be some time before we teach you how to cast Life. We will push you many times to finish something by a certain day, but that is only if it is needed. You will be fighting the most, since you are the newest to this, but that does not mean that you will fight alone." Yuna said, starting to feel like a Summoner again.

"How do I know, I mean, how is it that you keep up with everything? It seems that you all know basically the same things, and yet, some are better than others at it. How is it that you keep up with all of them?" Kaori asked, hoping that all they would be doing tonight was talking about what she knew.

"That will be part of your lessons. Now, what do you know how to do?" Yuna asked her, getting back on subject.

"Well, Vahe put some names to these, he said that I could use cure, and I can cast shell, protect and reflect. And I can use some of the swords abilities. Like Blizzaga, Firaga, Waterga, and Thundaga. With it I can also cast stone, and petrify, along with poison. Along with death and doom." Kaori said, struggling to remember all that Vahe had taught her.

"Then you know much, I will not be teaching you how to cast the black magic without the sword, that will be Lulu, but I will teach you how to cast Stone ward, and petrify, and poison, and holy, also stone, and Esuna, as I mentioned earlier, along with many others. You will have to remember everything that we teach you, for it may mean your life one day." Yuna told her, getting very serious, yet also having fun teaching someone magic.

"Well, I better learn fast then. Will I still be able to use all this in my world? Or will it just not work?" Kaori asked, thinking that if it did work, then she could possibly teach some of the better stuff to people, and stop all the bloodshed, and families losing loved ones.

"I do not think that it would work in your world. It seems to me, that things are so much different. Though I could be wrong." Yuna told her. "Though if you're still wanting to learn how to summon, we had better start teaching you to be an apprentice Summoner."

"I would very much like to be a Summoner, but I'm not sure what good it will do, I still plan on going home soon." Kaori said, trying to act mature.

"I do not think that you will be going home as soon as you would like, or thought. I have been searching for a way to get you home, and I have not found anything yet, and neither has any of the others." Yuna said, starting to think again how it had worked for the last little while.

"Is there not any way that we can find? How did Tidus get home? Or even how did he get back? Maybe it's the same as that." Kaori said, thinking back to how she had been told of all the events previous her coming.

"Tidus used to be just a dream of the Aeons, but it is possible that we talk to the spirit of the Aeons, and ask if they could help us." Yuna said, doubting still.

"Then lets get started with this thing." Kaori said, starting to hope that she would soon be home.

"We shall go to the temple of the Magus Sisters. They are the closest, and should be able to help." Yuna told her, "But for now, lets get you some better White Magic."

That night, when finally they finished, Kaori was even more tired, than she had ever been, and playing with her daddy, she could get pretty tired. When she fell asleep, she again dreamed of the girl, and all the other people, but there was a new addition. A little boy. He did not look to be very old, only about six, but it seemed that he would have to be her little brother, for he looked somewhat like her, but also like her mommy and daddy. She started to wonder why he was already so old, and yet, just a few months ago, he wasn't even born yet.

In the morning, when she woke up, she was again, the first one to wake, but soon Auron was awake as well, and they started with their training again.

When they finished that, Lulu came out, not giving her any sort of rest, and started with the Black Magic. When they finished with that, and she could now do the four basic spells, then they had breakfast, and left.

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Reviews are required.


	5. Chapter 5

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 5: Training**

That day, through all the traveling, they fought many more fiends. And again that night, she trained with Yuna. She did not complain all that much any more, but she still got very tired. In a break of their training, she asked Yuna about her dreams, and if she knew why she was having them, and about the little girl.

"I have never seen anyone by your description, but it is possible that she arrived by the same way as you, even though, we have not seen her." Yuna said, wondering what could bring all these people and things in her dreams, and yet, some of them never having been seen by her.

"It sometimes seems impossible that I have these dreams, but then, I remember them so well when I wake up, they must be important. Though, I don't even know how my brother would be so big already. My mother was only about four months pregnant with him." Kaori said, still confused.

"Maybe time goes at different times, like, maybe you've been gone longer from your home than you think. Maybe where your mother is, then it's been years, instead of just months. I know you may not want to believe it, but you may have to face the reality of it, it may have been a much longer time than you think." Yuna told her, looking sorry for Kaori.

"That's impossible. It can't be. I mean, come on, and how could there be two different times, when I came here from my own world?" Kaori said, not willing to believe it.

"Kaori, I know you may not want to believe it, but it may actually have happened." Yuna said, getting up.

"But-" Kaori started, being interrupted by Yuna.

"Come on, its time to get started again." Yuna told her, getting her staff.

"Yuna, Kimahri teach her now." Kimahri said, walking up.

"Yes Kimahri, you can teach her now. Kaori, don't bombard him with questions. Just learn." Yuna said, thinking that she would start asking him if he knew if there really was a time difference in the two worlds.

They worked on his techniques for hours, even after everyone else had gone to bed. What surprised Kaori though, was the fact that she did not get very tired during all of this, only having fun trying to remember everything. He taught her how to use things that other people or fiends used, and he even taught her how to tell what was left of their health, or what abilities they had, or even what they were immune to.

When they at last stopped, Kaori didn't really want to, but she knew that she needed to so that she could keep up her schedule tomorrow, also not knowing if Kimahri had anything more to teach, and if so, if he would teach it to her the next day.

This time, when she slept, she dreamed only of her brother, and it seemed that he was somewhere that she had once been, in Spira, only, he was even older now, not by much, he was only about seven or eight, but if it kept going like this, then she would be the little sister, instead of the big sister she was planning on.

She knew that her mother had planned on calling him Dustin, so she tried to speak to him in her dreams, find out how old her was, and where he was.

She was surprised at his answer. He was eight and a half, and in a place that he did not know, though he had found people who knew the name Kaori. When he had asked where he was, he was told 'be said'. When Kaori was told this, she knew that she had to get back soon, otherwise something might happen to her brother that had happened to her.

She wondered if she might pass a message to the real Dustin, and told him to look for Vahe in Besaid, tell him that he was her brother, and explain to Vahe how he had gotten here.

After this, she woke up, and it was not much earlier than she would usually get up. She got dressed and went outside, finding Auron already there.

"Where have you been? You're late." He told her, turning to face her.

"I'm sorry. I was talking to my brother. He is in Besaid. I needed him to go somewhere he could stay, so I told him to go to Vahe and ask for help, since he's the only person I know there." Kaori said, getting in her fighting stance.

"You talk too much." Auron told her, starting the fight.

After some time of fighting, she got tired from the little sleep the night before, but she tried to keep going. On one of the attacks that she could usually block, and she didn't this time, Auron knew that something was wrong.

"Never let your opponent know what's going on in your mind. And don't even let them know that you are tired, if you do, you are sure to loose. You must build up durability, so that it doesn't happen again." Auron told her, looking down at her.

She got back up and fought some more, trying to make sure that she did as he told. After a few more parries, she was feeling like before, and it showed, but she didn't let it stop her.

"You are good at learning." Auron told her when they had finished for the morning.

That morning Lulu told her that they would not use the Black Magic, she would just memorize some more. So they started on their way, and they talked while they walked.

Since they had been going in the opposite direction, then they were going back to the Calm Lands, to go to the Magus Sisters temple, and see about their help.

When they got to the temple, Kaori rushed inside, and went into the room. Rikku came to get her, and show her the right way.

When they got to the chamber of the faith room, Kaori didn't know what to say, so she just let Yuna do the talking. When they were about to leave the temple, Kaori asked if this was a place that she could start with by being a Summoner.

"I suppose you could, after all, my father started in Bevelle, and I started in Besaid, and there are many others who have started in completely different places. We already have the things to get to them, and so I guess we can see about you becoming a Summoner. You will need Guardians." Yuna said, smiling at her.

"What are Guardians?" Kaori asked her, more confused than she had been since she had arrived here.

"They help to protect you against anything that might want to hurt you." Yuna explained, "Tidus, Lulu, Kimahri, Auron, Wakka, and Rikku were all my Guardians, and they still are."

"Could I just have everyone here as my Guardian? I couldn't make a choice between all of you. I would just rather have everyone as a Guardian. I only want to have as many Guardians as I have friends." Kaori said, somehow thinking that she couldn't have that many Guardians.

"You sound like me. A long time ago, I said 'I only have as many Guardians as I can trust' and it is true. You will have to ask them if they would like to be your Guardian, and if they except, then you have another Guardian." Yuna told her, even though she was still talking, she was still also thinking back to that day when she said that.

"But…what if they say no? I mean, no one here really knows me that much, and I don't know if they would like it." Kaori said, looking down trodden.

"They will probably love to be your Guardian. Even before I asked him, Tidus acted like one of my Guardians." Yuna said, smiling at her.

Kaori waited for some time, then one at a time, started asking everyone if they would like to be her Guardians. First she asked Yuna, then she asked Auron, and then Lulu, then she asked Tidus, then Kimahri, then Rikku, and then she asked Wakka.

Gratefully, for Kaori, they all accepted. Kaori now just had to get the Aeons to accept her.

Yuna told everyone that they would be going back to see about getting Kaori to be a Summoner, starting with the Magus Sisters.

Kaori herself did not know what she was getting into, but she felt like she could become a Summoner, and possibly that it was what she was supposed to do.

Everyone went with her to one of the rooms, and that was as far as they went. When Kaori got in there, she didn't know what she was supposed to do, so she just stood there for a few minutes.

Yuna had once told her that many ways to call forth Aeons, or even just dead people who hadn't been 'sent', was to pray, like she had taught her, so Kaori prayed in the weird style that they had taught her.

When she had done this, she saw something coming towards her. Three something's. After this, she did not remember very much, she just remembered what she had to memorize, and then other than that, it was basically just a blank.

Outside the room, everyone was just sitting around, waiting for her to come out. Tidus, being very impatient, kept pacing, and asking how much longer it would be, then after some of this, asked if there was any food left, because he was hungry.

After the day had basically passed, then Kaori came out.

"If I am correct, then I am now a Summoner. How do I know for sure?" Kaori asked Yuna, very tired and hungry.

"We will go outside and find some fiends for you to battle, if you have become a Summoner, then you shall be able to summon them with what you have learned in there." Yuna told her, starting to walk outside.

When they got outside, they went across the bridge, and it did not take long to get in a battle, but Kaori did not summon, afraid of what might happen. When this happened, Auron suggested that they go into the cave and let her battle something there.

When they got into the cave, they quickly got into another battle, and this time Kaori did summon. She had become a Summoner. But there was a problem. When she Summoned, she was afraid that something from the summoning would hurt her, so she jumped back, tripped, and hit her head on a rock.

While she was unconscious, she dreamed of a little boy that she did not know who it was, but he kept calling to her, and she knew that she had seen him before, she just did not know where.

When she gained consciousness again, she looked around, and asked where they were going next. Everyone was surprised at her, because one of the other times that she had hurt herself and lost consciousness, she woke up and asked for her mommy.

We will be going back to the Thunder Plains." Yuna told her quietly, knowing that something was wrong.

"Good, then I'll be able to get Ixion, and before we go out of the Calm Lands totally, then I need to get Yo Jimbo." Kaori said, surprising them, because they just told her that there was another Aeon in the Calm Lands, but they had not told her anything else about it, or any anywhere else.

"Are you alright? You seem to know a lot more than you did before you got knocked out, and it might prove fatal." Rikku said, "Have you lost your memory?"

"I don't think so, but then, how would I know if I had, nobody usually does." Kaori said, "Are you alright? You've never acted this way around me before."

They got out, and traveled to Yo Jimbo's temple, and Kaori went in, prayed, and not too long after, came out, ready to leave again.

Since it was starting to get dark, then they went back to the inn in the Calm Lands, and stayed for the night.

In the morning, when they woke up, they found that Kaori was not with them, though she had already trained with Auron, and with Lulu, along with Kimahri and Rikku.

They walked around the Calm Lands for a while, then they found her, and she was summoning Yo Jimbo and the Magus Sisters, and training with them, like it was a everyday occurrence with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 6: Aeons**

Kaori knew that something was different, but she was not sure what. So she went on with life as she knew it, meaning that she was going to help get rid of the Witch/Queen, and become a Summoner, like she had been planning on.

Next Kaori would be going to get another Aeon, and she was going to train with them as much as possible so that she would be as strong as she possibly could, so that she could fight the Queen better.

In their journey, Kaori practiced with everyone just like before she lost her memory, and now she even trained with her Aeons, so she would know as much as everyone else, for she wanted to be able to help with everything.

Next they would be going to Bevelle and getting Bahamut. Kaori was excited about this, since Bahamut was the first Aeon she had ever seen.

Kaori felt bad, that they had already come this far, and now they were going back, just so that she could get her Aeons, but there was something else involved. For some reason, she knew that she had to help get rid of the Queen, and she also had to get back to Besaid, she was not sure why, but she just knew that she had to.

During the trip, Kaori didn't know why, but there was always something occurring to her, and she didn't even know what any of it was, except for the parts that would show her.

There were some parts where she was playing with a man, in a place that she didn't know, there were parts of her cooking with a woman she didn't know, there were parts with a little girl, that wasn't her, and with a little boy. All of these people she didn't know, and she didn't even recognize the place that they were standing.

When she saw these things, she would just stop walking, and be in a sort of trance, so when that would happen, then Auron would pick her up, and they would continue.

When she would come out of the trance, she would be, for some odd reason, staring at Aurons butt, since that was the way that her head was positioned, from being over his shoulder.

These happened about two or three times a day, but sometimes they wouldn't be very clear, so she couldn't really see them well, and sometimes they would repeat, so she would see the same one a couple of times. When she saw something that wasn't very clear, then she would get a bit annoyed, and then when she saw them again, then she would understand, and see why it took twice, because some of the visions as she called them, were somewhat understandable, messing with someone, in a place with not much grass or trees, but sometimes they would show her watching some kind of box, or sometimes she would be listening to some kind of rectangle, and she wouldn't know how it was happening, but sometimes with the visions, came sound, and sometimes they did not.

After she had gotten used to having these weird visions, she could train without having to worry if she would get hurt or do something really bad, as she had a couple of times, from blanking out. She had once used doom on Lulu when she blanked out.

When she started getting used to having the visions, they were nearly to Bevelle, so she was getting nervous again, since she would be getting the first Aeon that she had ever seen, and that had given her the idea to become a Summoner.

It took another three days to Bevelle, and then before they went to the temple, they got enough provisions to get them to Macalania next, since that would be their next stop.

After that, they got a couple rooms at an inn, and then they went to the temple. Kaori, now nervous more than ever, went first, since she had heard that that was what you were supposed to do if you were the Summoner. She was walking very slowly, but she finally got to the Trial, and got through, with a little help every now and then.

Once she had finally gotten to the end, she was ready to turn around and go back. But she knew that she didn't want to have to do that again, so she figured that she would keep going, just make sure to be able to go through with the summoning.

When it was time for her to go into the Aeon room, she looked behind her, and saw everyone looking at her, and felt like she was part of a show. She looked down for a few seconds, and then looked at everyone again, and realized that they were nodding their heads, or doing something that they were holding their hands in fists except for their thumbs, which were pointed up. She thought that she knew what it was, something like 'thumbs up' but she didn't know from where, since she had never seen it except for with them.

Thankfully she knew that they were all her friends, since they had shown it time and again.

While she was inside, everyone outside wondered how long it would take this time. The longest that she had ever been in there was a day and a half, but this could be even longer, since, by now, she had already been in there a day.

They had to stop several times to think and make sure that they had refused and dealt the harshest punishment. Death.

Several times it had crossed Yuna' mind, but every time she denied it, thinking that it was just very hard on her this time. She had been training to the extreme. Yet, until they had gotten here, she had not shown any effort to keep going. Everyone had thought that she was able to just keep going, but Yuna knew that it was an act, for she had had to do it at one time as well. Though the thought was not confirmed until they had come here, and sent her through the trial.

With every meal, they had postponed it until they knew that she would not be there for that specific meal. Much to the distaste of Tidus, who always wanted to eat.

At the end of the second day, she still hadn't come out. Now every one was really starting to worry. There had only been one time that they could remember was ever recorded that it had taken this long. This could only be bad.

On the eighth day, everyone had given up, and was getting ready to leave, when the doors opened, and out came a person that they had a hard time recognizing. She was walking subconsciously, but it was indeed Kaori.

She looked like she was going to fall, but instead she just sat down. Nearly everyone went over to her, and Yuna had to start feeding her so that she could get back to normal as soon as possible. They decided that instead of continuing the journey like they had confirmed before Kaori went in, they would just rest at the inn in Bevelle.

"I've…finally got…Bahamut." Kaori said, quietly and slowly.

Because she was unable to walk, they had to carry her out of the temple. When they passed others, people would stop what they had been doing, to watch and see who it was, and what had happened. No one recognized her, but everyone knew by her dress and the way that they were carrying her that she was a Summoner.

Several times a day, they would wake her up, so that she could eat something, and get plenty to drink, and so they could make sure that she was still able to talk and move.

At this rate, it was nearly nine full days before she recovered enough to walk around without someone following her to make sure that she either didn't over exert herself, or incase something happened.

They stayed in Bevelle for another fifteen days after she started walking somewhat normally, just to make sure that she would in fact, be able to make it for more than a couple hours of walking.

For a total, they were in Bevelle about a month. Usually that would be unheard of, since they were trying to get trained as much as possible to beat the witch, and get back to the normal life, and possibly get Kaori' memory back.

"So where will we be going now? Macalania? So that I may get Shiva?" Kaori asked, while they were packing to leave.

"Yes. Then we will be going back to Djose, and you will get Ixion, and we will then continue back to Kilika and get you Ifrit. Then we will be back home in Besaid, and I will get to see my daughter. While you get Valefor of course." Yuna said, making sure that she had everything that she needed.

"You have a daughter? I didn't know that." Kaori said, turning to face her.

"And another on the way." Yuna said, smiling. "You can't tell right now, but it hasn't been very long."

"What is the name?" Kaori asked, getting somewhat interested.

"The little girl that I have now is Aiko. And if it's a girl, then I'm going to name her Leonita. If it's a boy, I'm not sure yet. I'm hoping for another girl." Yuna said, pulling out a picture.

"She's pretty. How old is she?"

"Going to be three this winter."

In the picture, Kaori saw a little girl that looked neither like her mother or her father. She had blonde hair, but it had a weird tint to it. She had blue eyes, and she was very pretty, but she looked more like her grandfather, in Kaori' opinion.

"She can be an angel, or a little devil. It depends on how much sleep she gets." Yuna said, getting her little knapsack and tying to her shoulders so that she would have more free movement.

"Well, we're all ready out here. You guys ready?" Tidus asked, stepping into the room.

"Yeah, lets go." Kaori said.


	7. Chapter 7: Meeting

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 7: Meeting**

They were finally nearly to Macalania. Kaori had been traveling for several days now, wanting to be able to get her next Aeon. For some reason, she felt like she didn't belong, but when she went to get her Aeon, she felt okay.

It was another couple of days, but they got to Macalania, and saw Cid there even. They soon found out that he had been waiting for them. Though they had yet to find out.

"Hey pop. What are you doing here?" Rikku asked, walking up to him.

"I need to talk to Yuna and Auron. I've got news from Besaid." Cid said, lowering his voice.

Yuna and Auron walked a distance off and started talking to Cid most earnestly. No one could hear what they were saying, but all knew that it was important.

When they finished talking, Cid went off on his way, to get back to home, but when Yuna and Auron came back over, everyone saw that they didn't look to good.

"Are you okay?" Rikku asked, waving her hand in front of both their faces. "You guys don't look to good."

"Yeah, fine. We need to get in there and hurry though. Lets go. Come on Kaori, and also, if possibly, hurry this time." Yuna said, pulling her into the temple.

They got inside, and through the trial, and this time, thankfully for Yuna and Auron, it just took a few hours for her to get Shiva.

"Good. Lets go." Auron said, already outside the door.

"What's the big rush? We just got here. Aren't we going to take a rest?" Kaori asked, wanting to sleep in a bed, instead of on the ground.

"We must hurry and get to Besaid. There is something wrong there." Yuna said, hurrying after Auron.

"Will we be able to stop in Djose and Kilika to get those Aeons as well? I would hate to have to backtrack, again." Kaori said, running to catch up with everyone.

"We may be able to, if we make good time. We need to see about getting a ride, or buying chocobos. Then it would go much faster." Auron said, walking to someone with a hover.

The hover was not for sale, or even able to rent, so they went around for a while in this fashion, and finally gave up on the hovers, and just decided that they would get some chocobos if they could find any.

It took an hour or so, but they finally found some chocobos that they could buy, at a good price, and with enough of them for everyone.

From here the journey would go much faster. Since the chocobos were young, they had a lot of energy, but they were actually trained.

They rarely encountered fiends now, but they were in Djose in three days, and quickly got Kaori' next Aeon. After that, they did not rest, but kept going, even through the night, and soon came to Kilika.

They rested here for a day after Kaori got Ifrit, but then they were on their way again. Next to Besaid.

No one would talk much these days, but they kept looking towards Kaori, like something was going to happen soon, and she would either cause it, or be in the middle of it. It seemed that everyone but Kaori knew what was going on, and what was happening.

It had really started to annoy her, but she just kept ignoring it, along with just about everything else that was going on.

They were making pretty good time, considering that they hardly let the chocobos rest. The chocobos only rested when they stopped, and that wasn't very often.

From Kilika it took three long days, and they hardly even stopped when most Summoners would stop to rest, and possibly think about what they were going to do.

They got there not too long before dark, and just had enough time to take care of the chocobos and put everything where they would be staying. Then Yuna pulled Kaori aside.

"You have to go and get Valefor now, and hurry, there is something going on here that you must know about, but you will also need all your Aeons, so after you get Valefor, we will be going to Baaj, and you will get Anima." Yuna said, pushing her towards the temple with Tidus following to be the only Guardian to go with her this time.

"What is going on?" Kaori asked Tidus, since Yuna was already walking the other way, and would not be able to hear her.

"Something has gone terribly wrong, and we have to stop it, but the only person that _has_ to be there, is you. We don't know why, but you're the one that has brought this on, and we don't know how, but things have gotten even worse since you got here." Tidus told her, not wanting to, but feeling that she had a right to know.

"So whatever it is is my fault? Do we know what has gone wrong?" Kaori asked, looking over to him, in the middle of the trial.

"I wouldn't say that it's your fault, but people seem to know who you are, and what you are able to do, and so they are trying to take advantage of that." Tidus said, as they just finished the trial.

Kaori went into the Aeon room, and while Tidus waited outside, since he had been smart enough to bring food this time, then he ate a bit, and surprisingly, shortly after he finished Kaori walked out.

Everyone that could remember her as she used to be, thought that the reason that the Aeons kept her in there so long was because she didn't actually live here, and she wasn't born here. So when she walked out after such a short time, it was surprising.

"You're out earlier than usual." Tidus remarked, standing up.

"Yes, I know. I don't know why, but Valefor said that I needed to rest. So she hurried as fast as she could, even though I'm not tired." Kaori said, walking towards the door, stifling a small yawn.

When they walked outside, Yuna was walking out of the inn, and saw them, she walked over to them and asked why they weren't in the trial getting Valefor for Kaori.

"Because, I've already got her. It really didn't take very long this time. She said that I needed to rest, for some reason or other." Kaori said, stopping just long enough to tell her this, then walked into the inn to get some rest like she was told.

When Kaori fell asleep, she dreamed about all the things that were coming up, but she also had a dream about a little boy. She thought she recognized the parents, but couldn't tell who they were to her. When she looked at the little boy, still covered in a little bit of blood from having just been born, she had a name come into her mind. _I don't know this boy_, Kaori thought, _how could I know his name?_ The name that had come into her mind was Dustin. There was also a little girl there that had just been born. It looked exactly like…Kaori.

She saw the boy through a quick version of his life, till he was about four years old. She also saw the little girl playing with him. They seemed to be happy and they were twins, which also helped, since they couldn't get any other friends. Everyone thought that they were too weird.

After that, Kaori woke abruptly and Yuna told her it was time to go to Baaj.

Kaori didn't tell anyone what she saw, since she thought they would just think her weird. Instead she kept in to herself, and tried to figure out what it was, or what it was trying to tell her. They all loaded the barge, and it started towards Baaj.

All the way there, Kaori was preoccupied with her dream, and didn't notice when Yuna came to sit by her. She was just starting to show that she was pregnant with her second child. They had decided that if it was a girl, they would call her Leonita, and if it was a boy, they would call him Leo.

Yuna sat there just watching Kaori while she was working things out, and then decided that it was time to see what was on her mind.

"Kaori, are you alright?" Yuna asked, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking." Kaori said, looking at her, then back down.

"What are you thinking about? You can tell me." Yuna said, leaning down a little bit.

Rikku heard that something was about to be told, so she ran over. "You can tell me too!" She said, sitting down in front of Kaori.

"It's nothing, really." Kaori said, shaking her head.

"Were you dreaming about Dustin when I woke you?" Yuna asked, looking down as well.

"How do you know about Dustin?" Kaori asked, turning her head fast enough to snap it.

"Before you lost your memory, you talked about having a little brother named Dustin. You said that you were twins, and that you were the older one by seven hours, yet he was always the one who would take care of you. And when you came through the mirror, you thought he came after you, since you saw him in your dreams again, only then he was here. You said that you were mad at your parents because they had made him mad, and he ran away not to long before." Yuna said, in a soft voice, trying to get her to remember her old self. "You don't really live here, you just came here by accident."

"But I don't-" Kaori said, getting cut off by Auron.

"Time to go." He said, always talking as little as possible.

Kaori still trying to digest this new information, just closed her mouth from her last little sentence, and then nodded her head firmly.

She got up, and with everyone else, walked to the temple so that they could let her get Anima. They went through the trial, though Kaori was very little help, since her mind was still on everything else.

When they got inside the room, Kaori walked over to the door, and opened it, looked behind her at Yuna, and walked in. The door slowly closed behind her.

Everyone outside waited for about four hours, which was the average time these days. About half way through the fourth hour, the door opened, and Kaori walked out.

"I have gotten all the Aeons." Kaori said slowly, like she hadn't slept in a week.

Since her last Aeon had been so powerful, and so hard to get, then Tidus and Wakka had to help her out of the temple and to the barge so they could go back to Besaid.

When they got back to Besaid, it was getting dark, so Yuna and Tidus told her that she could sleep at their house. When they got there, a little girl with blonde pig-tails came running at Tidus.

"Daddy!" she screamed, jumping in his arms.

"Aiko, you act like the house is on fire." Tidus said, always teasing her.

"No, but they said that you wouldn't be back until a long more time, but I didn't believe them, and said that you would have to come back for a visit before you left, and so I've waited, and you're here now." Aiko said quickly in one breath.

"Have you been practicing your techniques? Before we leave, we could play a little bit more. And maybe practice your fighting." Tidus said, mentioning her two favorite things to do.

"Yeah! Please! Now. Can we go now?" Aiko said, wriggling down from his arms, to run to her room and get her sword.

"Well, its getting dark, and mommy probably won't let us. Besides, we have a visitor." Tidus said, finally helping Kaori over to a seat.

"Aww. But we haven't been able to practice for a long time!" Aiko whined, her shoulders slumped.

"It hasn't been all that very long. And besides, I need some help in the kitchen making dinner." Yuna cut in, taking her hand.

Laughing a bit, Tidus sat down, and got himself comfortable.

"How old is she?" Kaori asked, looking down the hall at the kitchen.

"Almost four. She is a character though, she loves Blitzball and fighting. She says she training to do the same things as Yuna and I, so she can be just like us." Tidus said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"She is very cute, and seems like she is well behaved and very nice. Very energetic, but I was too, and it was always fun." Kaori said, starting to fall asleep.

"Hey, if you fall asleep now, you won't be able to have some of Yuna' good cooking." Tidus said, getting up, since Yuna told him it was ready.

"I'll go ahead a stay here if that's ok." Kaori said, closing her eyes again. She was hungry, but she didn't want to be a burden and have them have to bring her out here again.

"Well, I'll just bring some food out to you." Tidus said, going into the kitchen, and grabbing two plates.

After a small meal, Kaori was finally able to fall asleep before someone else started talking to her again.

Sorry that it's been taking me so long to get these out. Life has been getting really busy. Anyway, let me know what you think. R&R.


	8. Chapter 8

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 8: Memories**

Kaori slept for two days, with little intervals where she would wake up to a female voice asking when the sleeping lady would wake up.

On the morning of the third day, she woke up, and realized that everyone but Yuna was sitting on a chair around her.

"Hi. Did something happen?" Kaori asked, sitting up.

"No, you've just slept for so long, we didn't know if something had happened to _you._" Lulu said, standing up when Yuna walked in with Aiko. "Take the seat."

"Thank you, Aiko, sit down, I'm going to go and get Kaori something to eat." Yuna said, setting her on the seat.

"You slept a long time." Aiko pointed out to Kaori, swinging her legs beneath her.

"Yes, I'm sorry if it inconvenienced anyone. I need to get up and train." Kaori said, looking around for her sword.

"It's not in here, but I'll get it." Aiko said, jumping up from her seat.

"Thank you." Kaori said, smiling.

By the time she had gotten back, Kaori had gotten dressed in some clean clothes, and had cleaned up a bit. She even had time to eat a little bit of food Yuna brought.

"Thanks Aiko." Kaori said, taking the sword from her and raising from her chair. "Auron, would you be willing to train with me?"

In response, Auron turned and walked from the house, with, after a minute, Kaori following.

They went up into the hills, and after they had both gotten ready, fought for about three hours, then decided that it was time to quit, and brought Lulu in, so that they could practice magic, and after Lulu, Yuna, for Summoning, and Rikku for Thieving.

She took the whole day training, and when they got back to the house, they learned that Tidus and Aiko were out playing in the water. They just couldn't wait for some Blitzball, or for Aiko, that and fighting.

They got cleaned up from the hot day, and started making dinner, and were almost done when Tidus and Aiko walked in, both laughing. Yuna told Kaori that Aiko was in her favorite place, on her fathers' shoulders.

At times like this, Yuna would get this sad look on her face, but Kaori only wondered, she never asked why. Finally tonight, she gathered the courage.

"Because…its something that I used to do with my father. He died when I was very young, and my sister was supposed to be dead for a long time. Then I found her by chance one day, and ever since then, I've wished that my father were here, so he could see her again." Yuna said, looking down at what she was doing.

They finished preparing the meal in silence, then when they sat down to eat, someone walked into the room.

"Lady Yuna. I have news for you." He said, bringing over a piece of paper.

"Thank you." Yuna said, after which he left.

Yuna opened the letter, read the contents, and then handed them over to Auron. After he read them, he put them down.

"We leave in the morning." Was all he said.

Everyone passed around the note, and read it, and after everyone had read it, they all ate in silence, ready to go to their own homes and pack so they could be ready to leave.

After everyone had left, Kaori went up to Yuna.

"Will you be going with us?" She asked, leaning against the doorway.

"Yes. For some of the way, at least." Yuna replied, putting everything she needed in her bag.

"Why is everyone so nervous? And they're all acting so strange." Kaori said, walking into the room and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"We've gotten a clue as to the whereabouts of the Witch. She was near the Moonflow. I guess they never let you see the note did they." Yuna said, remembering that they had passed right over Kaori, thinking that it would be better to tell her in person.

"I see, so we have to go there and find her." Kaori said, looking down, hoping that something would explain all these weird things she was seeing.

"Kaori, there was something else in the letter also. Your brother was also spotted, and I know that something is going on with you, but since you lost your memory, then none of us has really brought it up." Yuna said, sitting down next to her.

"But, my brother is dead. Remember, he died a long time ago. And if I lost my memory, how can I remember my whole life, until I started really becoming a Summoner?" Kaori asked, not quite understanding.

"No, your brother is not dead. You started talking to me about him while we were traveling, before you lost your memory. You weren't completely sure that it was your brother, because far as you knew, you didn't have any siblings, but he looked so much like your mother and father, and you said he even smelled like your father. Do you remember anything about New York? Or, I believe you called it, Central Park? You said once that you lived there, and then you appeared here one day. You never told us how. Then the first time you Summoned the Magus Sisters, then you jumped back and tripped, fell and hit your head on a rock. That's when you lost your memory." Yuna said, explaining as much as she could without confusing her too much, or at least, trying not to.

"But-" Kaori started, still not understanding.

"Kaori, I don't know how it is that you think you were born here, or how you remember so much from when you were young and it was all here, but you were not born in this world. You have only been here for a couple months." Yuna said, trying to make her understand.

Yuna closed the conversation with a hug, and Kaori got up to leave the room. She went to the inn, so she could lie down in her room there, and get some rest, before they had to leave the next day.

As she slept, she saw some men, and a few women, walking around the area of The Moonflow. She had only been to this part once but she knew exactly where it was, so she figured that she wouldn't have any trouble finding it since all of her dreams seemed to be coming true, she thought that she could go and see if she could find these people. They acted like they were lost and didn't belong.

She didn't often have sound during a dream, but this one had voices along with it.

"So where are we going now? We don't even know where we are, so what are we going to do? How did we get here?" One of the girls asked. She had somewhat red hair that was in a ponytail.

"I don't know." One of the men replied. He had blonde hair, and he constantly had his sword out with him, making sure that no one was trying to hurt anyone from the group of people he was with.

"Yo." Another man said. He had red hair, and the top was short, but the bottom was in a ponytail as well.

"What now?" Another woman asked. She had black hair, and was very pretty, but seemed to be in a bad mood, which Kaori didn't know if that was her all-the-time mood, or rare with her. It kind of contorted her features, so she wasn't all that very pretty.

"Do you think he's here?" The first lady with red hair asked.

"I don't know. He very well could be, like us. Though I still don't know how we got here." The man with blonde hair said.

After that, Kaori didn't see anymore of them, but she had another dream. In this one it looked like her brother and herself. She could only guess that they were at their home.

"I'm going to leave, but I'll come back and help you sometime." Dustin said, putting his pack over his shoulder.

"You better!" Kaori said, softly punching him in the shoulder. "Only thing is, who will spar with me now?"

"I'll see if I can come home every once in a while and practice with you." Dustin replied, hugging her and turning to walk away.

"Do you think you'll be gone long?" Kaori asked, holding out her hand, like she could stop him from going.

"I don't know. I don't think mom and dad will want me to come back, after that fight." Dustin told her, turning back around.

Kaori saw something then that she had never before seen in her twin. He was crying.

"Now you're going to make me cry." Kaori said, and started sobbing.

Dustin came over to give her a hug, then reluctantly turned again to leave.

"I'll come by when I can."

Then Kaori woke up. There were tears in her eyes, and she could see that Rikku wanted to ask her something, but she just delivered her message.

"It's time to leave for the boat." Rikku said, setting a little bit of food in front of her and leaving the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 9: The Meeting.**

Kaori got on the boat, but wasn't sure what was really going on.

After a couple days traveling, she started to sleep through just about everything. On the last night before they got to the Moonflow, she went to sleep, and didn't wake up till they were already in an inn on the moonflow.

While she was asleep, she had another dream. It was the same one as she had seen with the people who said that they were lost.

When she woke up she was in a bed in the inn. As she looked around she saw Yuna sitting on a chair, very tired.

"What is going on?" Kaori asked, sitting up in her bed.

"We're here, but Tidus is wanting me to take it easy. He's saying I'm too far along to do much. Overprotective husband that he is." Yuna said, looking over towards her.

"Well, you are nearly seven months." Kaori said, getting dressed and cleaned up. Then she remembered something. She gasped. "I have to hurry. I need to find someone."

"Who are you needing to find?" Tidus asked, walking into the room.

"No one important, just somebody that I saw in my dreams, and it seems like a lot of the time they come true, what with all the stuff with my brother, so I thought I would check it out and see if I could help them. They seemed lost." Kaori replied, pulling on her boots.

"Where did you see them?" Tidus asked, wondering if he had seen them. Around here, just about everybody knew everybody else.

"Near the water, I think, it looked like it, but I'm not sure. I just know that I have to hurry to get there in time." Kaori replied, grabbing her sword.

"Mind if I go with you?" Yuna asked, getting her guns and staff.

"Not at all." Kaori said, smiling at her.

Yuna smiled in return, but Tidus wasn't so sure.

"Are you sure you should Yuna?" He asked, worry etched on his face clearly.

"It will be good for me. Besides, I can't just sit here all day, it's driving me crazy, and it's doing more harm than good." Yuna replied, hitting him softly on his arm.

"I guess you're right." Tidus said, smiling softly at her.

As they walked through town to where Kaori thought they were, she was looking for them while Yuna was talking to her, though she hardly heard anything that was said.

"Kaori, calm down. We'll find them if they're here." Yuna said, taking her arm and slowing her down to a walk, since she had sped up to a run.

"I'm just so anxious. I feel they will be able to help me, and I'm guessing from the description that you've given me, the same thing happened to them as to me. Or something close to it." Kaori said, realizing they probably hadn't come through a mirror they found in their parents closet.

"Did I ever mention how you have to much energy for someone who has lived here their whole life?" Yuna asked, realizing that she wasn't completely human, though she had been contemplating on it for months.

"No, I don't believe so." Kaori said, wondering what she meant.

"I mean, no one here has that energy after doing everything that you do. It's not normal human behavior. Only the children have that kind of energy, and then not even as long as you do." Yuna told her, trying to slow her down so she could catch her breath.

Kaori slowed down just a bit, but enough that Yuna had an easier time of keeping up with her. Once they got to where Kaori thought she saw them, she instantly started looking in every corner, and not paying any attention to what was going on with Yuna. Though it was not very good.

She didn't notice, but suddenly while she was looking, she heard someone yell behind her. She instantly got out her sword, and prepared to use magic, and just in case, threw out a small bolt of lightning, thinking that someone was attacking Yuna.

"Whoa! Easy! We're just trying to help." One of the males said, holding up his hands, showing Kaori that he didn't mean to fight.

Suddenly she saw why they were trying to help.

"Yuna!" Kaori exclaimed, putting her sword away and running towards Yuna, though still prepared for a fight.

"Tidus." Yuna said, trying to get through the contractions. She was having the baby, even though it would be two and a half months early.

"We're going." Kaori said, trying to pick her up so she could take her back.

"Here." The blonde haired male said. He picked her up like she was the weight of a feather.

"I could have gotten her." Kaori said, not liking that for once since before she could remember, she had to rely on someone else for something. "But I still thank you." She said as an afterthought.

She directed all of them to the inn, where since they had been gone longer than he had planned, Tidus was pacing up and down in front of the doorway, so when he saw her being carried, he immediately came running.

"Yuna!" Tidus yelled, taking her from the blonde's arms. "Are you okay? I knew it was a bad idea for you to go out, now look what happened." He took her in the inn to lay her on a bed.

After he had taken her inside, Kaori saw Wakka run inside then runs back outside to get the doctor. After she saw this, Kaori turned towards their helpers.

"I thank you again." She said, trying to figure out why they were here, and why they would help total strangers.

"It was no trouble at all. We're glad to be able to help." The black haired girl said.

"I'm sorry. Where are my manners. My name is Kaori. That was Yuna. Lady High Summoner Yuna." Kaori said, making sure that they were respectful.

"I'm Cloud." The blonde man said, pointing to each in turn. "This is Tifa, Reno, Rude, Aeris, and Zack. I'm hoping that you might be able to help us." He said, turning back to Kaori.

"Nice to meet all of you." Kaori said, nodding to each when they were introduced. "Would you like to join me? I was just going to be eating my lunch."

"Of course, we would love to, but we don't want to intrude. Will Lady Yuna be okay?" Tifa asked, looking towards the door, noticing all the sounds emitting from inside.

"She'll be fine. She's tough. She's been through much more than this, and this is her second child anyway. She's been through this thing before, only this time she'll have drugs, since she doesn't really want to do things like last time." Kaori said, remembering all the times she had told her about it.

"Then lets leave. I'm starved." Cloud said, starting to walk over to where they came from.

"This way." Kaori said, noticing that he turned on his heel, and acted like he meant to do that.

They walked for about half a kilometer and came to the café.

"Here we are." Kaori said, walking over to the door, but not making there before Reno.

When he opened the door and stood there, she just stared at him like he was doing something unheard of.

"Kaori? Are you okay?" Tifa asked, walking up to her and putting her hand on her shoulder.

When she asked that, Kaori all of a sudden had a flashback.

'_Kaori, are you okay? You really should be more careful. You remind me of your father, always getting into trouble and getting hurt. Oh well, lets get that taken care of. Dustin, can you get me the band-aids and peroxide please? Thank you.' Virginia said, sitting Kaori up on the counter and getting a wet rag._

'_Mommy, how come I'm so different from all the other kids?' Kaori asked, noticing that not everyone could smell like her, or see like her, and they got hurt a lot easier._

'_Maybe one day when you're older I'll tell you, but not now.' Virginia said, taking the band-aids from Dustin and fixing her cuts and scrapes._

Once that one ended, she had another that just continued without a break.

'_Mom, you once said that when I was older, you would tell me why I was different.' Kaori said, taking a little break. 'Will you tell me now?'_

'_I suppose its time both you and Dustin knew about it. Go get him, and I'll tell you.' Virginia said, giving a worried and tired sigh._

_When they both returned, they sat down on the floor in front of her and waited expectantly._

'_You both know that you're different, and I know that I've avoided this as much as I could, but I guess you need to know, since you're getting older.' Virginia said, getting worried and putting her head in her hands._

'_Virginia! I need help with something real quick.' Wolfe shouted, running into the room, prepared to drag her outside._

_Kaori remembered that she still hadn't been told everything her mother had said, since because of that Dustin had left, and she herself wanted to take an adventure, so she found the mirror and went through, ending up here._

"Kaori! Kaori! Are you okay?" Cloud was asking, leaning over her.

Kaori realized that she was on the ground.

'_I must have passed out.'_ Kaori thought, when she came to her senses.

"Oh!" Kaori exclaimed, sitting up abruptly. "I'm so sorry! I hope I haven't worried you, or made you wait for your meal."

"Now what a stupid question. Of course we waited. Just stay sitting down, preferably laying, but sitting will do I suppose." Cloud said, gently pushing back down since she had tried to stand.

"What happened? Why did you pass out when Reno opened the door for you." Tifa asked, thinking she wasn't around men much.

"When you asked if I was okay, it reminded me of something, though for a while I didn't realize it, but…oh, never mind." Kaori said, not wanting to trouble them, or them to think that she was mad.

"How 'bout we get some food, and you can explain it to us." Tifa said, thinking that she needed food and hadn't eaten for some time.

"Yeah, okay." Kaori said, standing up with help from Cloud and Reno.

They went inside and sat Kaori down, then went to get and pay for the food. While they were gone, Kaori sat with her eyes closed thinking through everything she had just seen.

"Here you go." Tifa said, setting a plate down in front of her.

"Wha- Oh, thank you." Kaori said, jumping a bit.

"Sorry if I startled you." Tifa said, sitting down across from her.

"No, I'm just confused." Kaori said, looking down at her plate and playing with the food.

Cloud sat next to Tifa, and Rude sat at the edge of the table, with Reno next to Kaori.

"So, what about that explanation." Cloud mentioned through a mouthful of food.

"Okay. I guess I had better start from the beginning." Kaori said, taking a deep breath.


	10. Chapter 10

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 10: Explanation.**

As she thought through what she was going to say, everyone else at the table with her waited patiently.

"I suppose I had better start. This may take some time." Kaori started, looking down at her plate, trying to figure out how she could make everything understandable and yet take out a lot of the problems so she wouldn't throw all her troubles on them.

"I have had to be told some things, since I don't remember. When I was almost ten, I apparently found a magic mirror in my parents closet." Kaori said, pausing. "I somehow found out how to turn it on, and when I did, I was very stupid and touched it. It kind of sucked me through and next thing I know, I'm falling from the sky onto Yuna."

She took a bite of her food, and tried to gather thoughts for the next part, taking out bits and pieces.

"I started forgetting things very easily, like what my family looked like, and where I was from. Then I started getting the idea to become a Summoner. But along with becoming a Summoner, I started learning how to use black magic, white magic, sword techniques, even attacks from Wakka and Kimahri." She took another bite and finally looked up. No one was eating, just listening, though Rude was trying to look like he was eating, but he hadn't touched his food.

"I first received the Magus Sisters for Aeons. When I first summoned them, I thought that someone bad would happen to me, so I jumped back, and tripped and…I lost my memory." Kaori said, her voice getting very soft. "I woke up, and it was like I had lived her my whole life. No one could understand it. I knew exactly where all the Aeons were, and where we were going next. I even knew more spells than I recently had, simply because I thought I had lived here the duration of my life."

"So you still don't remember anything from your home?" Aeris asked, a sympathetic look on her face.

"No. Nothing more than has been told me." Kaori said, her voice barely audible. "It used to be that when I would dream about my brother, we would apparently talk to each other, since I always told someone about it, but now, I hardly even see him anymore. We came here because there was a chance that he might be here, but I haven't seen him anywhere, and also because we were told that the witch might be here.

"Then one night while I was sleeping, I saw all of you, and you were saying how you didn't know how you got here or where 'here' was. I paid close attention to the surroundings, so I could find you. When I woke up in the inn, I had forgotten about all of you, because Yuna told me more about what I had once told her about my brother, which took a very long time. Afterwards, I was really tired again, so I went to sleep, and saw him again, along with all of you. Soon I woke up again and decided that I had better hurry to find you before you left that spot.

"Yuna came with me, and after some searching we found you, in a manner of speaking. And you know what's happened since then." Kaori said, cutting the story as short as she could.

"How did you get here, other than through a mirror?" Tifa asked, not quite understanding everything she had said.

"I don't know. I apparently used to tell Yuna some of the stories that my mother told me, so I'll see if that explains it a bit for you." Kaori said, trying to think which one to start with.

"My mother used to tell me that there was once a girl that her mother had left, and her father didn't always know what to do, so even though she was so young, she was left to remember everything and do pretty much everything. Then one day she found a dog that seemed to understand her, and it knocked over a barrel of flour, and with its paw wrote danger in the flour.

"After that, she met a man she thought very weird, but in order to stay alive, she and her father had to go somewhere so she could stay away from that man, and her father, thought to have robbed a bank, from the police.

"The girls father when he learned about the dog, wished to be able to understand it, and the dog started talking to him. His daughter didn't believe him, but decided to go along with his game, and followed him and the dog to a shimmery spot in a forest.

"The dog jumped into the spot, and the father and daughter followed, not sure what they were doing. When they came out at the other end, it seemed to be a basement junk pile.

"During all of their journey, the girl found that the weird man was a wolf, and that she had started to love him. As the story progresses he saves her many times, and at the end, the girl finds out her mother is an evil witch, and for some time, doesn't remember her. The wolf proposes to the girl, and they go back to her world." Kaori finished, and started eating her food.

"That's really all I remember, but I had better get back to Yuna, just in case they need something." Kaori said, standing up and cleaning her spot.

"I'll take care of it." Reno said, grabbing Kaori's plate and his own, along with anyone else's that were done.

"Thank you." Kaori said, turning around and running off, embarrassed slightly but still wanting to get back to Yuna.

"She's a bit weird, but nice still." Tifa said, looking after her.

"Maybe most people in this world are. We don't know, so we shouldn't judge. Lets take care of this stuff, and go back and see how their doing, and see if we can get any answers about where we are, and how we got here." Reno said, picking up as many plates as he could, and taking them to the tray.

"Maybe we got here like she did. Through a mirror!" Tifa said, jumping up and running towards the door to see if Kaori was still visible. She wasn't.

Kaori's POV.

'_Why is it that every time some guy does something nice for me, I have to get all nutso, and freak out?'_ Kaori thought, running into the room where Yuna was sleeping with her new baby girl.

Tidus was sitting in a chair, looking at both of them, and when she walked in looked up and smiled at her.

"Is there a name yet?" Kaori asked, walking up to the baby quietly.

"Leonita." Tidus said, taking her in his arms.

"She's so cute. Is Yuna doing okay?" Kaori asked, looking at the baby in Tidus' arms.

"Of course I am. I'm tough." Yuna said, startling them both.

"You did good." Kaori said, smiling at her, and looking back at Leonita. "She's so tiny!"

"It's a good thing to. She was painful enough." Yuna said, and then realized the look on Kaori's face.

Kaori was sitting there, wondering if she would ever be able to find someone she wanted to be with, and wondering if she would ever have any children.

"Do you want to hold her?" Yuna asked, motioning to Tidus to hand Leonita to Kaori.

"Can I?" Leonita asked, though a scared look was on her face.

"Of course." Yuna said, smiling when she realized she was probably scared she would drop her, or hold her too tight.

"Ooh! How cute!" Tifa said, running into the room and up to Kaori and Leonita.

"I want to thank you for your help today." Yuna said, looking over at all of them as they walked into the room.

"You look tired." Aeris pointed out, coming to sit next to her and act like a mother to Yuna. Yuna just smiled at her attempt to cool her down with a wet rag.

"So how many children do you have?" Cloud asked, looking at the bundle of blankets in Kaori's arms.

"Two." Tidus answered.

"Where's the other one?" Reno asked, looking at Kaori.

"Back home. We couldn't bring her with us." Tidus answered again, looking at everyone, trying to figure out what they were all doing here.

Kaori looked up in time to see Cloud and Reno both jab Rude in the ribs, she could only guess it was because he was so silent.

'_I wonder…'_ Kaori thought, then looked at Yuna with a mischievous look in her eyes. Yuna caught her gaze, and without anything having to be said, seemed to realize what she was thinking.

"Rude, would you like to hold Leonita?" Yuna and Kaori both asked at the same time, each trying to either stop a smile or hide it one way or other.

"No." Rude said, barely having time to say it before Leonita was shoved into his arms. "Uh…"

Everyone in the room laughed, seeing how uncomfortable he was. When it seemed like he wouldn't hold her any longer, Aeris came over and made sure that he didn't just drop the baby then, and took Leonita from him.

Kaori looked at Leonita again, and realized that she looked a lot like the little girl in her dreams.

As Kaori watched, she also realized that they still didn't know anything about her brother.

"Yuna!" Kaori said, startling everyone, running towards the door. "I have to find Dustin!"

"Kaori! Wait! You shouldn't go by yourself!" Yuna called after her, though it was in vain.

"What's going on? Why does she have to find her brother?" Tifa asked, looking after her, standing next to Cloud.

"Because she has a feeling that something bad is going to happen to him, and she hasn't seen him in nearly a year. Also because she's had dreams where they talk." Yuna said, still looking after her.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Reno asked, not sure about her ability to take care of herself, though he felt that way about a lot of women.

"Oh sure. She's got her weapons, and she knows how to summon, but I'm not sure what she'll do if she does encounter the witch, however unlikely that is." Yuna said, sitting up and taking Leonita from Aeris.

"Witch?" Cloud asked, his interest now focused on Yuna.

"Yes. It's said that she brought back sin, along with trying to take over every world that was ever made." Tidus said, sitting next to Yuna.

"And no one is going after Kaori to make sure that she's okay, even if she does encounter the witch?" Tifa asked, starting for the door.

"There is also a parable. That the only way to beat her, is to get two strong spirits, twins, and two others that are willing to fight, and loose their lives, as well as seven from this world." Yuna said, her eyes watering from what else she knew, though was not going to say. "That's what makes me worry. That she's one of the ones that is supposed to die for the cause."

When Reno heard this, he hardly took any time to make sure he had his stick, and went after her. He was either going to help her find her brother, or help her if she found the witch.

"Reno!" Rude said after him, though he was ignored.

Kaori's POV.

She had to find him! She had to. She had searched for so long, and still hadn't, but now he was supposed to be here. Maybe this time she would find him.

Wait!

She stopped, hardly daring to breath. Was that him? Had she finally found him?

'_It is him!'_ She started running again, this time tripping over herself to get to him as fast as possible. _'Maybe now I'll be able to get home, and learn what I still don't know'_

"Dustin!" She screamed, almost to him now. He barely even acknowledged her, turning towards her, then away from her and walking again.

'_What is going on? Has he lost his memory to? Can he not remember me?'_ The thought pierced her. _'No! It can't have happened. But then, why haven't I been seeing him in my dreams, like when I first got here, and up till a couple months ago?'_

She didn't want to believe it, but she knew she had to face reality. Something wasn't right.

"Kaori! Stop!" She heard behind her. Reno? Why is he here?

"Dustin! You have to remember me! I've looked so long for you!" Kaori said, finally catching him.

He turned to look at her, though seeming to look through her.

"I don't have to do anything, except what my mistress tells me." Dustin said, casting a large spell that Kaori didn't even know existed.

The last thing she knew, her brother had disappeared.

Then there was darkness, with Reno's voice calling her back.

"Kaori!" Reno called, kneeling beside her. When he realized that she hardly knew him right now, he picked her up and took her back to the inn.

"Oh my goodness!" Yuna yelled when she saw Kaori being carried in. "What happened?" She got up off the bed, so Kaori could be set on it. She instead brought a chair over to the bed, so she could be there when she woke up.

"Her brother, I expect." Reno said, breathing hard, having run about three miles to catch her, and then carrying her back, running the whole way, as fast as he could.

"No…" Yuna said, realizing what this meant.

Her brother was under the control of the witch.

A/N. Sorry for having taken so long to put this up, but I've really been having trouble with this. Just a warning, the next chapter is going to skip several years into the future. Otherwise this story would never end. I hope you enjoyed it. Review!


	11. Chapter 11

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 11: A Major Fight.**

Kaori got up, and making sure to wipe the tears away, went outside, so Yuna wouldn't see that she had been crying again. _'I'll go ahead and take my walk now.'_

Since finding her brother, she had cried nearly every day, and for the first couple of months, she had cried all day. It was all she could do without help for a while. Thankfully, they had been able to fix it, but for several months after, she could only guess from the spell he had cast, she had been paralyzed. Now, to make sure she didn't fall into it again, she had to walk every day.

That was her usual time to cry. She would go down to the beach, and just sit there for hours, and cry. Then she would get up and run up and down the beach several times, so when she went back, she was at least tired and sweaty, so they wouldn't know if she had been crying, or not exercising.

Kaori ran even harder today, trying to escape all the memories that were attacking her. She had started remembering a lot of her life in New York. She had even remembered making a light bulb as a project in science once. She had made the light bulb special so it would light with just a flick of a button on the light bulb, and you wouldn't need any electricity. It wouldn't work very long, since it ran on minerals from the metals and glass she used, but she tried it here, and would use it when she really needed light.

She even remembered the day she found the mirror. She remembered sitting in front of it for hours, and trying to figure out what would happen if she touched it. She had learned how to turn it on by accident. Finally a week after she found it, she had courage enough to try to touch it, and had ended up here, seven years later, trying to make sure she didn't turn back to paralyzation.

When she got to the hill overlooking the village, she saw Tifa and Aeris running towards the temple, and realized something was wrong. They had made it clear that unless they had to, they didn't want to go in.

Kaori hadn't been able to fight very well ever since she had started to recover. Though no one else knew it, she could still summon, but her Aeons had been very weak right after that. She had been able to fix that. She had also been practicing black and white magic, but everyone thought that she couldn't fight at all anymore. And for a long time she couldn't, but she had practiced a lot. Even her weapons had improved. She was almost more powerful than before. And all because she had seen in her dreams that she would really need it. She still felt very hopeless, but it was getting better. Soon she would let everyone know how well she was doing. But she still felt like she wasn't needed. But as she looked down at the village, maybe she would be able to help them. She figured the least she could do was to try to help.

She already had her sword, since she never left without it, even though she still remembered most of the magic she had learned on her pilgrimage, but most of it she had lost when the lightning had struck her. Even though she sucked at weaponry, she still practiced whenever she got the chance, so she was slowly improving, and could now use it to a minimum.

Every day, she practiced for hours, trying to get back to where she was before, but that never took away the pain of her brother not noticing her, and of his betraying her.

She shook these thoughts from her head, and rushed down to see what was to be done. She found that the best fighters in the village were there, so why would they need her, but then, why had Aeris and Tifa come in? Maybe she was needed.

When she went inside, everything was different from what she knew. Things were on fire, the building was crumbling, and there were dead bodies nearly everywhere.

'_What happened?'_ Kaori thought, rushing past it all into the chamber of the faith.

Maybe that was where it was all coming from. She would just follow the bodies and fiends.

Once she finally got to the chamber of the faith, she found things worse than she had expected. Everything was in disorder, and yet, worse of all, her brother was there.

Suddenly the last time she had seen him flashed through her mind, and though she didn't want to go through that again, she knew she had to do something.

Currently Yuna and Tidus were fighting him, but when she saw the attacks everyone was using on each other, she knew she had better hurry. Either way, someone would die today, and if it was her brother killing someone, she wanted it to be her. She didn't want someone else dying because she couldn't control her other half. Or at least, attempt to control it.

When she ran over there, she saw both Yuna and Tidus look over at her and knew they were trying to figure out how to fight and still get her out of there.

No one had seen her fight except for the first time after she had to start again. They thought she had stopped all together, so they probably thought now that she was trying to intimidate Dustin.

"Dustin! Looking for me?" Kaori yelled, facing him with her sword.

"Ah! So you have finally shown up? I thought you had run in fear, little one!" Dustin said, which, Kaori noticed was not his own voice.

Suddenly Dustin's face took on a look of pain, and he started shaking. "Kaori! Run!"

'_That's his own voice! He's back!'_ Kaori thought, hope surging through her, just to be crushed a minute later.

He stood shaking for another minute, then he seemed to compose himself. "Where were we?" He asked, back to his stupid voice.

"Just about to fight it out for my brother. I win, I get him back, you win… you can have me on your side." Kaori said, taking her stance.

"NO!" Yuna yelled, coming up behind her.

"Leave me alone Yuna. I've made up my mind. I have to have my brother back." Kaori said softly to her, then turned back to Dustin.

"I accept." Dustin said, then adding, "Since that bolt of lightning I sent your way not to long ago, you shouldn't be able to do anything anymore. I understand that you used to be quite a fighter. Now you won't be able to do anything though. I think this will be quite fun."

"Just one question before we start." Kaori said, putting her sword up. "Actually two. First, who are you, and second, what goes?"

"Everything goes. As for your first question, I am a queen, taught by your grandmother, and I shall take over this land." Dustin said, an evil look coming over his face. "You remember your grandmother don't you?"

That evil look really scared Kaori.

"No, but that doesn't matter. Are you ready to start?" Kaori asked, taking a stance, even though she didn't have her sword.

"Yes, but it doesn't look like you are." Dustin said, noting her empty hands.

"I'm ready. I've just been waiting for you." Kaori said, running towards him like she was going to attack with her bare hands.

"Kaori!" The real Dustin yelled, right before fake Dustin started his own attack.

"Kaori! Look out!" Tidus yelled, trying to run forward, but being held back by someone. "Let me go! She needs help!"

"Leave her be. This is a fight that she must have alone." Auron said, holding his sword out in front Tidus to stop him from moving forward anymore.

During all of this, which had taken place during the time that Kaori had started running forward, Kaori had stopped, and to everyone's surprise, had summoned Anima.

"Can't do anything anymore huh? Apparently you aren't as powerful as you thought, otherwise you would have known this." Kaori taunted, sending Anima in to attack.

"Apparently she's better than she's let on. Or maybe she just wanted to be able to do something for herself, and this was it." Auron said, careful to lower his blade since it seemed Tidus might cut himself on it with his chin, it was hanging so low.

"Well, well, well. You have been practicing. I wonder how far you have gotten in other things." Dustin said, dodging Anima's attack with little ease.

"Seems we'll just have to find out. Are you going to jabber, or are you going to fight?" Kaori asked, annoyed but having Anima attack at the same time she did.

She had her sword out, and since Dustin had said that anything went, she figured that meant that she could have her Aeons attack while she attacked as well.

"Yes, I suppose you are anxious to have a reason to join the winning side, so you won't have to die." Dustin said, dodging her blow, since it had come first, but not having as much luck with Anima's hit.

It seemed that the hit just stunned him, but while he was still down for the moment, Kaori cast her strongest spell that she knew. Holy.

"You'll never live once I get my brother back, and I will get him back." Kaori said, as vehemently as she could.

Since she had been saying this, she didn't see something else come up behind her, and she didn't hear the warning yell. All she felt was the blade on her back.

"Argh!" She screamed in pain.

This would not stop her. She turned and quickly got rid of the minion.

"You're going to have to do better than that." Kaori said, receiving a blow from Dustin, but hitting him with one of hers.

The next time she was able to see behind her, she saw that everyone else were taking care of the fiends and 'minions'. That just left her with the worst thing that could happen. She still had to fight her brother.

"You're pretty strong. But not strong enough." Kaori said, attacking him with all she had. She summoned all of her Aeons, used all the black magic she could, white magic on herself and her friends, and physical attacks with her sword and guns.

It seemed that she had just about won. All of her Aeons were used up, so she dismissed all of them. She had used just about all her energy so she couldn't use magic anymore.

That left her with physical attacks.

She was pretty torn up, so she used one white magic spell to heal herself, and during this, Dustin recuperated himself. He didn't have any white magic, but he had potions, though they weren't very powerful, and he got ready to attack.

"That was very well planned. But now you are weakening." Dustin said, though Kaori could tell that he was worse than her.

"Seems that you aren't doing too good yourself." She said, just to see if he was going to bluff, meaning that it was worse than she thought.

"I am doing just fine. I ready for all that again." Dustin said, though his voice and eyes told the truth.

"You think I don't know my brother at all, do you? I know him better than myself, lost memory or no. You'll never win. At anything." Kaori said, attacking again.

She knew this would be the last hit that it would take, since she was putting every last ounce of energy into it, meaning that she might die.

But it would take care of the thing controlling her brother, and if that was all it did, she was happy.

"Now it's your turn to die." Kaori said, watching as her brothers face was knit in pain, flashing between the shadowy thing she had fought, and her brother.

She didn't want her enemy to know how much he, or she, had hurt her, so she used every ounce of self control over herself to keep herself standing until her brother was free.

When Dustin finally fell over, and the shadow was gone from his face, Kaori knew that she had won this battle, and she fell down next to him, not sure what was going to happen now.

The last thing she saw or heard was Yuna, leaning over her and calling her, and Tidus and Auron doing the same with Dustin. Then Dustin got up and came over to her side, putting her head in his lap.

Then it was black.


	12. Chapter 12

**Final Kingdom**

**Chapter 12: Recuperating.**

He was really worried. This had never happened before. If she didn't wake up, what was he going to do?

'_This is all my fault.'_ Dustin thought, sitting at her side as he had for the last week and a half.

People had come and go almost the whole time, but for the last couple of days, they had left them alone. He was glad, but he wished she would hurry and wake up.

"I had hoped that when we got to see each other again, then it would be with both of us conscious. But I guess now that won't happen for awhile." Dustin said, talking to her still form. "You just better not die on me."

When he said this, she moved. It was very slight, but it was more than she had done the whole time.

"Can you hear me?" Dustin asked, leaning forward and grabbing her hand. "Can you… understand me?"

This time she didn't respond, but behind him Dustin heard someone cough.

"Is she doing any better?" Aeris asked, holding her bag over her shoulder.

"I think so, but maybe it's just wishful thinking." Dustin said, not facing her. He couldn't. He still had his pride and there were tears in his eyes.

"I wish we could stay longer, but Cloud and Reno found our way home. Apparently it should stay there, but we don't dare travel it very much. We don't know when it will close up." She said, setting down her bag and walking over to bid Kaori a farewell.

She gently kissed her cheek, and Dustin's as well, and turned to leave. Everyone else had already said goodbye, but she wasn't going to, then heard him right before she left.

"Well, if you're ever in New York, look us up." Dustin said, standing up to leave for a minute.

He walked outside and watched them all leave, and went back inside and got some cold water, and went back to Kaori's side.

"You talk too much, you know that, don't you?" Kaori asked, her eyes still closed, and it sounded like she was struggling to say that much, but it made Dustin's heart soar.

"Are you back with me now?" Dustin asked, trying to accept it if it was all just a dream of his.

"I think so." Kaori said, then opened her eyes and looked at him. Her look was a little sad. "You don't really think that I would leave you willingly, do you?"

Dustin leaned forward and buried his face in her hair. "No. But I thought hearing that would bring you back faster."

"I've been around for a couple hours, but I wanted to sleep. And you kept interrupting it with your talking." Kaori said, turning her head towards him, since she could hardly move and couldn't put her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry Kaori. I didn't mean to. I tried to get you to leave so you wouldn't get hurt, but you were so stubborn. I tried to stop, so many times, and to take control again, but she found me soon after I found leads on how to find you." Dustin said, and Kaori could feel tears on her skin from him.

"It's not your fault. You did your best, but the reason I never left was I couldn't. I remember you, but I have amnesia, and it's been really hard. I've been trying to remember everything, but I'm thankful that I told so many other people a lot of what happened before, or names even, because then they were able to help me. But I also still remembered so much about you. Not always. I forgot everything about you at first, and you kept coming to me in dreams, but I knew that you were special to me, and I had to do all I could to get you back." Kaori said, pulling back from him so she could look into his face.

Dustin smiled at her, pulling her in for another hug. "Well then, I'll have to refresh your memory. We were born on the nineteenth day of august, 1990. Our parents' names are Virginia and Wolf. We both are half wolf, though mom and dad can't figure out how that works, since mom is human and dad is only half wolf, like us." Dustin went on to explain everything else, how they grew up, how Kaori found the mirror, and how she went through, how Dustin left shortly before that, and came back to help her.

By then end of his recounting history she was crying. When Dustin realized it he quickly wiped her tears. "Hey… don't cry… you may not remember, but I hate seeing you cry…" Dusting said quietly, cleaning off her face. Remembering something, he reached into his pocket. "I brought you something. This used to be one of our most prized-though shared-possessions." He handed her a broken locket, and when she opened it, it held a picture of her parents together, and a picture of her and Dustin together. She sat looking at it for a minute more, and started crying again.

"What's wrong?" Dusting asked, grabbing her in a hug again. He had always had a strong sense of protection over her. When he had seen her crying, it had always made him want to cry with her. Though maybe that was just because they were twins.

"I remember when this was taken. I remember mom and dad…" Kaori said between breaths. She sat in his arms a minute longer, then unable to contain her excitement any longer, stood up to find Yuna. She staggered for a minute, and felt like she would fall. Someone caught her, strong arms, but when she looked up, expecting to find Dustin, she found a face she didn't recognize.

After she found her voice, she quickly looked to Dustin, pleading for help with her eyes. She looked back at the stranger when she was in Dustin's arms again. "Thank you." She wanted to ask who he was, or what he was doing here, but decided against it.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concern on his face. Kaori could see him struggling, though she couldn't figure out why, or what he was struggling with. When he quickly looked at Dustin, then back to her, she realized he was trying to figure out who they were to each other.

"Yes, thank you. I'm Kaori. This is my brother, Dustin." Kaori said, struggling to stand up on her own, and when she gained her balance, to step away from Dustin, but he held on tight.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is A.J." He said, bowing down like Kaori suddenly remembered someone doing in a movie she had watched once.

"Who are you?" Dustin asked, a stern look on his face. Kaori looked at him in surprise. He was using a voice she hadn't thought he capable of. Almost mean.

"I just told you. I'm A.J." A.J. said, bafflement in his voice.

"No. I mean, what are you doing here? How do you know the owners of this house?" Dusting asked again, stepping in front of Kaori.

Kaori could tell that he didn't like this guy, but she also didn't want him acting like this.

"Dustin. What's going on with you?" Kaori asked, trying to step around him, but being stopped again.

"I think the lady wants to be let go." A.J. said, his face clouding over.

"What going on in here?" Cloud asked, coming into the room and up to all of them.

Kaori spoke up first. "These two are being idiots. Dustin's gone all possessive, and A.J. is trying to be nice, though I understand Dustin is making it hard."

Dustin looked at Kaori quickly, the mean look leaving his face when he looked at her, but she saw that for a split minute when he looked back at A.J. the look was back. When he looked back at her, he tried to evaluate what she wanted, and quickly stormed out of the room.

Kaori looked after him, knowing that she had hurt him, and tried to walk after him, only to find herself falling again.

'_It seems I haven't quite healed as much as I thought. Though what there is to heal from I have no idea. The only thing that's changed is Dustin coming back. No big deal.'_ Kaori thought, once again being caught by A.J.

"Thank you." Kaori said somewhat distantly, still looking after Dustin.

"My presence has caused you distress. I shall take my leave." A.J. said, motioning to Cloud to take her so she could still stand.

"No." Kaori said quickly. She didn't know why, but she didn't want him to leave. She did want to find out what was going on with Dustin, but she should be able to find that out quickly.

A.J. looked at her for a minute, then led her to the doorway. "It seems you want to find your brother. I shall help you, then find my sister."

Kaori strapped on her sword and guns, so if there was a fight, she could help. She may not be much help right now but with her determination she could still help.

He led her outside, where they were able to see up on the hill leading out of the village Dustin and someone Kaori didn't recognize.

"I suppose that's your sister?" Kaori asked, nodding towards them.

"Yes." A.J. said, puzzlement in his voice. "She usually doesn't go near people she doesn't know unless you drag her. Mother gets so frustrated with her."

"I can understand that. I… think I used to be the same way… I'm not quite sure…" Kaori said, looking after them.

"How… how can you not be sure about something in your own life?" A.J. asked, looking more confused than she had ever seen him, and more cute as well.

"I summoned my very first Aeon and was surprised at the size, even though I had seen a few before. I jumped back, thinking that it would land on me, and fell over a rock and hit my head hard. After that… I hardly even remembered where I was, or anything that I had done before.

"Then Dustin came along and was controlled by the Witch. She made him attack me and it nearly killed me. As it was, it put me in a coma for several weeks, and after that the doctors said I wouldn't be able to move again. I was paralyzed. But I started coming out of it. I had lost all my ability to fight, or summon, but since then I've reacquired that strength and have used it as much as possible.

"You wouldn't believe all that I went through, but I can remember now that my father always said that I had my mothers determination, and his will to do either what had to be done, or what I wanted done. I guess… without it… I would still be paralyzed and wouldn't have Dustin back." Kaori explained, sitting on a rock.

A.J. sat through it all, hardly moving. She seemed so young and innocent, and here she had gone through more than he or his entire family had ever gone through.

"I don't even belong in this world." Kaori said, half to herself.

A.J. nearly jumped away from her, he was in such deep thought, he had forgotten she was there.

"Well. Lets go get them." Kaori said, standing up.


End file.
